UC San Diego

I have always strived to be perceived as the perfect stage manager. To me, perfection means never making a mistake or appearing vulnerable. Trying to achieve this perfection has meant avoiding moments when I could appear weak, or even worse, risk the possibility of failure. As a result, my attempt toward perfectionism created boundaries that kept me safe, but also kept me from authentically connecting with my collaborators.

In The Venetian Twins, the citizens of Verona wear masks to tell the tragic story of Zanetto and Tonino Bisognosi, twins separated at birth. It is not until Zanetto’s death at the very end of the play that characters unmask themselves, revealing their humanity – their authentic selves. Throughout this process, I have strived to unmask my authenticity and become a leader who values mistakes as moments of growth, unconditionally trusts my collaborators, and cultivates connections amongst my colleagues. Asking for help, having difficult conversations, and embracing the disorder of a complex process has required me to courageously allow others to see my imperfections and abandon my rigid sense of right and wrong. I have challenged myself to take substantial risks by questioning my intentions before having a hard conversation, expressing my artistic opinions and concerns, and trusting my team with increased responsibility while allowing for the possibility of mistakes. In my journey to embody authentic leadership, I have actively made the choice to stay present and in response to the work, leading my fellow collaborators through this multifaceted production process.